Quality Standards and Its Role in Quality Maintenance

Last updated on Feb 16, 20174357

Every organization strives hard to meet the Quality standards in order to satiate the customers’ expectations. In today’s competitive scenario, ISO compliance or Six Sigma Quality Management is not a matter of choice for any organization to stay in the game. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accreditation is an organization that provides a distinct edge to compaines for International business presence as well as ensuring customers’ confidence in the business.

Needless to say, this compliance can add value to the business. ISO 9000 (one of the widely recognized Quality standards in the world) is considered a way to increase the Quality of products and services. The sole aim of ISO 9000 is to embed an efficient Quality Management system in an organization which eventually can help increase productivity, reduce unwanted costs, and make sure utmost Quality of process and products. In the ISO 9000 family, there are various standards such as:

ISO 9001: 2008

ISO 9000: 2005

ISO 9004: 2009

ISO 19011:2011

However, Six Sigma has emerged as a better approach to improve the Quality standards in previous years. Over the period time, it has become the most trusted Quality Management System (QMS) across the world. At times, it is hard to choose between ISO 9000 and Six Sigma to achieve the Quality standards goals. Let’s take a look at both the approaches to zero in on a proper technique of Quality Management.

ISO 9000 Approach

The major emphasis of this Quality management method is to set Quality standards. There isn’t a lot of fuss to improve the Quality of products and services. An ISO complied company is always governed by eight Quality principles of ISO 9000 and also adheres to the mentioned requirements.

Prioritizing the customer data, purchasing and managing the Quality systems is considered as the most critical ISO 9000 principles. On the other hand, the ISO 9000 process doesn’t leave much scope for innovative and fruitful alterations. It is all about ‘what should be done’ instead of understanding the business improvement potentials.

Six Sigma Approach

It is popularly known to be as a data-drive and fact based approach for Quality management. The advantageous bit to this methodology is that it improves Quality by analyzing existing process and identifying the changes required to better the Quality of products and services. As per the industry experts, Six Sigma Quality Management System stresses on continuous improvement in Quality. It is achieved by the methodical use of statistical tools and techniques.

There are multiple goals and objectives in Six Sigma Quality management projects. Therefore, it becomes vital to break the entire project into smaller and easily manageable projects, which are then subdivided, internally. The successful implemention of Six Sigma to meet the set Quality standards can only be done by Black Belt certified professionals. These professionals are capable to make good decisions about the kind of changes needed to get a better Quality improvement process.

Conclusion

Though, there are certain changes in the above mentioned Quality standards, you can’t tag one method as the best Quality management system. Both these methods have delivered excellence in the Quality Management domain. Any of these methods can be used in order to increase customer satisfaction and reducing operational costs.

So what are you waiting for? Take up a LEan Six Sigma Black Belt certification, today!